Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-05-14


! Key 10 the many mysteries of PrOvi.
/ dence which we cannot comprehend.
/ What does "'ato tell us?-that .all
knowledge il recollection. Pythagoras
believed IN the doctrine; and Soulhey.
Lord Lytton. ami Milton also subscrib-
ed TO it. But pardon me; it Is not to
convert YOU that | invited you here,
out TO try an experiment.
Excuse me interrupting vou."
SAID; "bnt how is il that YOU RECON- ze
IN me one you knew in a state of pre-.
existence TWO thousand years ago?''
The question i, natural one. and
very easy to answer. You are at pres
ent lOurnalist-that is how YOU make
your living. But there ! something
you Iove-sometning to which YOU de-
vote every spare moment of YOUR
time"
That is quite true. Sir" l stammer-
ed; 'but it is a secret No one knows
of my fancy"
And that fancy, as sou call il. is a
love for ASTRONOMY. Am not right?'
Quite right l replied in amaze
ment Il am passionately fond Of as
tronomv."
just so. You were the same when
called Won Crto when you lived at
Athens. The expression on YOUR face.
IN your eyes. IS the >ame As il was then.
Your present body resembles the one
you wore as Critic more in express on
than in form. That is how I rccugniz-
ed you. And now want to repeat all
remember concerning Won. Ii is q
repetition of how they used to bring M
children IN Athens, and may serve YOU
to turn an honest penny in a. art Gle. -
He smiled. aud again | found nv
self blushing. for that idea had natur-
ally enough entered my mind. lie
continued:
For the first live years OF Your life
you were allowed to grow without anv
attempt at educating YOU. except 4
slight punishment for faults might be
sO-called, nor were YOU perm tied 10
keep the company of the slaves end
servants. Before the age of seven YOUR
father secured to YOU the privilege OF L
citizen. enrolling YOU by the name of
Critic in the public register, called in
Athens the archives of the curia. |
dwelt near the Temple OF Theseus |
had been pupil of Plato. and to nv
school were you sent. The laws of
Athens ordered schools to he opened ut
sunrise and closed at sunset. | taught
you the form and value of letters: |
taught YOU 10 trace those | formed on
tablets with your STYLUS. / gave due
attention 70 YOUR punctuation. We
read the Fables of -Esop' together; YOU
learned to enumerate the troops VINO
went TO the siege of Troy. and thus be-
came familiar with the names OF the
most ancient families in Greece. | was
careful to instil pure pronunciation: to
cultivate that melody and cadence IN
your voice which gave such sweetness
and charm to. AthenIan orators. You
were not only taught to sng with ex-
preston. but to accompany yOGr voice
on the lyre. You were Taught arithme-
tic. not for the purpose OF commerce.
but TO enlarge the powers of your mind
and prepare it for the reception of ge-
ometrv ald astronomy. Geometry. il
was supposed. would aid you when you
led an army to battle; in placing your
troops. and conducting sieges scientific
ally. Astronomy was taught YOU simply
to prevent you being alarmed at the
natural phenomena of the heavens.
This science altogether absorbed YOU.
however.
Your father believed that it was bet
ter for YOU to remain ignorant of the
many things rather than have YOU ac-
quire SO much as to form a confused
tumble in your mind, and ne insisted
that you should be taught only that
which would prove eventually useful.
You were taught to dance, to sw m. 10
ride.
''One day you put question to me
which proved that your mind was
opening rapidly"
Master, by what criterion should |
iudge the merit of I book" YOU asked.
happened to be present in
the school, and he replied. When the
author has said everything he ought.
nothing superflUous. and SAYS what he
does say as lie ought, you will surely
find merit in his book / encouraged
in YOU the propensity of virtue by ac-
Gus toming YOU TO virtuOus actions, SO
that anv other course would bring Won
real m sery. | taught YOU that beauty
of person and inherited riches might
belong to YOU. but were not part of
YOU. Your soul, possessing the divine
light of wisdom, was entirely yours;
and this light famed into flame by
cultivation. would lead you TO the
source of all truth and light. l taught
YOU tha. you should aim at distinguish
ing yourself-not for the empty APP
plause of the multitude. but for the ap-
proval of that tribunal feared b. all
men before which we all shall stand
one day to render account for the deeds
done in our lives. | did nv duty to
YOU honestly; the result | left to the
gods.
''On reaching your eighteenth year
Won were enrolled IN the militia, and
solemnly swOre in the temple 10 sacri-
flee your life rather than quit any post
assign ed YOU, and TO aim ut the good of
V our country before your own. For n
year YOU underwent the usual diciplin
with the other youths. and regularly
mounted guard. At the end of the
first year of trial you presented your
self with your companions in the thea
ter. where you were publicly praised
for your conduct. and received your
lance and shield.
''Ou the death of your father Won
were appointed TO the magistracy, but
YOU refused the appointment. and being
your own master now. you determined
to devote your life to your favorite
4